Lisa Mychols

Interview with Lisa Mychols

The Queen of power pop, Lisa Mychols has played with many great bands (Nushu, Masticators, Waking Hours) and has a distinctive vintage style. Her latest album ‘Above, Beyond & in Between’ is one of the best albums of 2013.

Let’s look back first… how would you sum up your time in the 90’s with The Masticators?LM: The Masticators were my world! They were everything I needed to be at that time, and it took so much to get there, actually. When we disbanded, I felt really lost, my identity was lost…I couldn’t get my mojo back. I still played music, but it was just never the same.

What’s your take on why the second Masticators never got finished? Do you have the rights to what’s out there and would you consider a limited digital release?LM: It never got finished due to some bad stuff that went on between myself and Robbie. Severo was the one who came up with giving the band a break till January…that, at the time, was just a few months away…if my memory is correct. I thought that was a HORRIBLE idea but no one was really taking my side. That was a really sad AND scary time. The album would be put on hold from there and the band would soon just dissolved.

Would you ever work with Robbie Rist again?LM: Absolutely! He is such a funny person. A bit insane, but who isn’t, at least as far as artists go. He’s really talented and takes musical work very seriously. I admire him in so many ways.

You’ve been compared to Karen Carpenter, Debbie Harry and Susanna Hoffs — do you think you belong with that group?LM: I LOVE them all! There is no one I can compare to any of those artists so it’s an even GREATER compliment being compared to them. Hopefully, I can be an even greater version of myself in the near future!

This album “Above, Beyond & in Between” is truly gorgeous. I notice you emulate the 60’s girl group sound on “Taken” and “Summertime Dream” – who is your favorite Phil Spector produced girl group?LM: The Teddy Bears, but I think it was only one song he did with them. It happens to be one of my top favorite songs EVER!

How did you meet Tom Richards? How did he get involved in this LP??LM: In the WONDERFUL days of MP3.com, I had a top 10 band list and The Waking Hours were number 1 on it! I was playing drum’s on the side in my Boss’ band (That was the band Kickstand and my Boss was Ken West), and told him my list. He was all, “Oh wow. You know The Waking Hours are driving here as we speak, right?” I was like, “nooooooo……”. So that night I was playing (yes again playing with yet another band on the side!) bass with the fabulous Steve Barton at The Key Club and The Waking Hours showed up! HELL YES! Of course when I saw them I blurted out, “MY PEOPLE!”. Seriously, you know when you just know who you need to know? So of course I started chatting it up with the guys and I told them that they made the top of my MP3.com list. (which by the way, is not a huge deal as I was just a listener/fan on that site-but it was VERY serious to me anyway). So we totally bonded and they are all my family to this day!

Can you tell me your most personal song on the album and what makes it special to you? (my guess is “Ferris Wheel”)LM: Gee, I’m so afraid to give anything away as far as the songs and the stories go. I want these songs to be as special to the listener’s heart as they are to mine but in the listener’s own personal way. You know what I mean? Let’s see….Gawd, I love every song. This question is a challenge! ….It hurts just trying to think of another answer to this question. I’ll just move on for now and with the GREATEST respect of this interview. (XO!)

Are you planning to play again at IPO in support of this album?LM: Unfortunately for anyone who would have liked to have heard these songs live, I just could not make it work with a 4 or even 5 person band. We could have done it but the songs would become something completely different and it wouldn’t support the album properly for me and I don’t plan on touring.

You are part of so many great power pop bands – What’s next for Lisa Mychols?LM: Well, there IS something coming. I can’t give it away just yet…but it will have a nice motor to it. BbuBbuhBbuBbuuh. Thank you so very very very much Aaron!